[LINK] Fwd: [ PRIVACY Forum ] Google Halves Non-Anonymized Data Retention Period

[Roger Clarke]

[Not far to go now - we're halfway there from 18 months to 18 seconds.]


         Google Halves Non-Anonymized Data Retention Period

            http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000424.html

Greetings.  Google has announced that they are reducing the period
that they retain fully non-anonymized IP address log data from 18
months to 9 months ( http://tinyurl.com/google-2008-09-08 ).

Details are not available at this time, and some observers will no
doubt harangue that Google was pressured into this action by ongoing
regulatory scrutiny.

However I choose to focus on Google's decision as another step in a
continuing positive evolution of the firm over time, with the full
understanding that balancing the many complex factors associated
with this sort of log data is a decidedly non-trivial task.

Keep in mind that around the world, including in Europe and the
U.S., there are also legislative moves to *require* the lengthy
retention of a wide variety of log data, ostensibly for law
enforcement and other public safety purposes.  To say that this
creates a complicated environment for a global organization of
Google's scope is an understatement to say the least.

Despite the technology that is the visible aspect of Google to most
of us, in reality Google is actually people -- individuals with a
range of opinions at all levels within the firm.  In particular,
Google's announcement makes it explicitly and publicly clear that
they are cognizant of the often conflicting mix of forces and world
views that interplay with data retention concerns.

One thing's for sure -- these are not simple issues, and to pretend
that they can be easily resolved to everyone's satisfaction is
nothing more than an unrealistic illusion, that doesn't usefully
advance the ball at all.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren at vortex.com or lauren at pfir.org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
    - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, NNSquad
    - Network Neutrality Squad - http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com


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-- 
Roger Clarke                  http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW